1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel softball or baseball, and more particularly to a novel softball or baseball having embedded ridges received inside covers of the baseball or softball using thermal pressed stuffing strips made during manufacturing of the cover pieces.
2. Description of Related Art
Typical baseballs (hardball) and softballs in accordance with the prior art each comprise a solid core and two 8-shaped covers enclosing the solid core. The two covers are made of leather and hard stitched together at edges by threads (56) to envelop the core.
With reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, a first conventional baseball (or softball) has a spherical core (50), two 8-shaped covers (52) and an 8-shaped ring pad (54). Each of the two covers (52) has an abutting peripheral portion (not numbered) to contact with one of the other cover (52). The pad (54) is engaged between the core (50) and the abutting peripheral portions of the two covers (52) and is stitched and secured to the abutting peripheral portions of the covers (52) by the threads (56). A problem of the first conventional baseball is that the pad (54) must be precisely positioned under intersecting areas between the two respectively covers (52) and the pad (54). Furthermore, when the pad (54) and the two covers (52) are stitched together, a stitching needle can cause the pad to slightly squirm out of place when inserted, thereby, adversely affecting the overall uniformity and balance of the baseball. Softballs or baseballs, which are not properly balanced, can not be precisely controlled to be thrown by pitchers and are rejected in organized softball or baseball games. Such rejection would lead to loss of confidence by game officials in a manufacturer.
To overcome the drawbacks of the first conventional softball (baseball), a second conventional softball (baseball) is disclosed as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9. The second conventional softball (baseball) comprises a spherical core (60) and two covers (62). Each of the two covers (62) is formed approximately 8-shaped and has a peripheral edge (622) folded under. When the two covers (62) envelop the core (60), two threads (66) are stitched on the two covers (62) around the peripheral edges (622) in an intersecting mating pattern to combine the two covers (62) together. Wherein, ridges of the softball (baseball) are created by the folded peripheral edges (622) to make the softball (baseball) easily grabbed and controlled when the softball (baseball) is thrown. However, the softball (baseball) is uneven at joints because the peripheral edges (622) directly folded inward to an under side of the cover (62) must have surplus portions to be stuffed between the covers (62) and the core (60) since the peripheral edges of the covers (62) are larger than an inner area of the under side in length. Therefore, it is difficult to stitch covers of the second conventional softball (baseball) together and is still uneven such that the finished ball can not satisfy strict quality requirements in of official softball or baseball games.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate or obviate the disadvantages of the conventional softball or baseballs.